ST. PAUL, Minn. – The UW-Stevens Point men's basketball team (4-3) saw its four-game winning streak come to an end with a 73-64 loss at defending national champion St. Thomas (6-3) on Wednesday night.  After trailing by as many as 17 points in the first half, the Pointers were able to close to within five points in the final minute of the game, but were not able to complete the comeback.
 
Junior Zack Goedeke (Valders, Wis./Valders) led UWSP with a season-high 17 points.  Sophomore Ethan Bublitz (Jackson, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) narrowly missed his second double-double of the year recording 13 points and nine boards.  Fellow sophomore Mark Nelson (Madison, Wis./Monona Grove) scored 14 points and senior Bryce Williams (Maple Grove, Minn./Spring Lake Park) had 12, all coming from beyond the arc.
 
After an early 2-2 tie following a Nelson bucket, the Tommies put together a 16-point run and the Pointers went without a point for nearly six minutes.  Goedeke converted a layup at the 13:43 mark of the first half to end the drought.
 
Williams, Drew Fredrickson (Mount Horeb, Wis./Mount Horeb) and Brett Tauber (Madison, Wis./Memorial) each hit three-pointers as UWSP cut the deficit to eight near the midpoint of the first half.  Another Williams three and a Bublitz basket brought the UST lead back to eight, but the hosts went on a 9-0 run.  Williams hit his third three of the half to put UWSP at a 14-point disadvantage at the break.
 
Bublitz scored six-straight points for UWSP to open the second half, but the deficit remained at 14 points three and a half minutes in.  Goedeke and Nelson combined to score the next 19 points for the Pointers, but the closest that UWSP could get was seven a little more than halfway through the second stanza.
 
As the game entered the final minute, Williams drilled a shot from behind the arc to pull the Pointers within five.  The Tommies hit 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.
 
The Pointers return to Bennett Court for a four-game home stand beginning next Thursday (Dec. 22) with a 7:00 contest versus Edgewood.